Sir Nicholas Bonsor

Credentials

• Sir Nicholas Bonsor was educated at Eton College and Keble College, Oxford.¹Colin Brown. “No 10 stands by Clarke’s accuser,” Independent, September 25, 1996. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/X3Go4

Background

Sir Nicholas Bonsor was a former Conservative MP and the honorary director of development of the UK climate science denial group the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF).²“Sir Nicholas Bonsor,” UK Parliament. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/vR3Df ³“The Global Warming Policy Foundation: Total exemption full accounts made up to 30 September 2017,” Companies House, February 15, 2018. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Bonsor died on March 21, 2023.⁴“Death of Soulbury’s Sir Nicholas Bonsor, descendant of Lord Nelson, former MP and Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Bucks,” The Bucks Herald, April 5, 2023. Archived April 7, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/7e9dz

Bonsor also held a number of directorships on the boards of mining and energy companies, including London Mining, a company which developed iron ore mines for the steel industry before it went into administration in 2014.⁵“Sir Nicholas Bonsor,” Companies House. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/HMxCR ⁶Ashley Armstrong. “Ebola-hit London Mining collapses into administration,” Telegraph, October 16, 2014. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/UqXyO

The company was involved in a major controversy in Greenland where voters feared ministers were surrendering their country’s interests to multinational mining companies.⁷Terry Macalister. “Greenland government falls as voters send warning to mining companies,” Guardian, March 15, 2013. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/cH7W7

Bonsor was a director of a shale oil company, TomCo Energy, between 2010 and 2015. The company holds drilling leases in the Green River Shale Formation in the US state of Utah.⁸Philip Waller. “TomCo bounces back with shale oil scheme,” Daily Express, May 23, 2011. Archived December 20, 2018. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. ⁹Phil Allan. “Ex-minister quits shale developer,” Energy Voice, July 17, 2015. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/JXSS4 ¹⁰“Company Profile,” TomCo Energy. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/Lys6h

A practising barrister, Bonsor was a Conservative MP for Nantwich and Upminster between 1979 and 1997, serving as a minister of state for foreign affairs for the final two years.¹¹Colin Brown. “No 10 stands by Clarke’s accuser,” Independent, September 25, 1996. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/X3Go4 ¹²“Sir Nicholas Bonsor,” UK Parliament. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/vR3Df

He also served as the chairman of the cross-party Commons Select Committee on Defence from 1992 to 1995.¹³Patricia Wynn Davies. “Heathrow: Politicians play down airport chaos: Ministers wary of handing IRA propaganda victory as travellers endure more disruption,” Independent, March 14, 1994. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/krXTX

Bonsor was a long-time euro-sceptic, having voted three times against the bill implementing the Maastricht treaty. The treaty created the three-pillar structure of the European Union which integrated the union and led to the creation of the euro.¹⁴Colin Brown. “No 10 stands by Clarke’s accuser,” Independent, September 25, 1996. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/X3Go4

He supported UKIP leader Nigel Farage in his unsuccessful campaign to unseat Commons Speaker John Bercow in his Buckingham constituency in 2010.¹⁵Elizabeth Grice. “General Election 2010: Nigel Farage and the battle for Buckingham,” Telegraph, May 6, 2010. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/NueWE

Bonsor inherited the title of baronet and was a Vice President of the Standing Council of the Baronetage, a social network which provides advice to those wishing to prove their succession to a baronetage, according to its website.¹⁶“Home,” Standing Council of the Baronetage. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/UVlO8

In a 1996 article in The Independent, his views on women and family were described as follows: “He believes women should stay at home and rear the children (he has five). His open detestation of ‘screeching and squawking’ feminists is not normally conducive to quick promotion at Westminster.”¹⁷Colin Brown. “No 10 stands by Clarke’s accuser,” Independent, September 25, 1996. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/X3Go4

Stance on Climate Change

Bonsor was the honorary director of development of the UK’s main climate sceptic think tank, the Global Warming Policy Foundation. The group was founded by former Chancellor Nigel Lawson with the purpose of combating what the foundation describes as “extremely damaging and harmful policies” designed to mitigate climate change. The foundation’s “Academic Advisory Council” has been called a “Who’s Who of current climate change sceptics.”¹⁸“Ed Miliband clashes with Lord Lawson on global warming,” BBC News, December 6, 2009. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/47R7w ¹⁹Caroline Davies and Suzanne Goldenberg. “The voices of climate change sceptics,” The Guardian, November 24, 2009. Archived August 17, 2015. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/lpkvm

Key Deeds

February, 2018

Bonsor was appointed new honorary director of development of GWPF, according to the foundation’s accounts. His precise role within GWPF has not been detailed.²⁰“The Global Warming Policy Foundation: Total exemption full accounts made up to 30 September 2017,” Companies House, February 15, 2018. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Affiliations

• Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF) — Director of Development.²¹“The Global Warming Policy Foundation: Total exemption full accounts made up to 30 September 2017,” Companies House, February 15, 2018. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• Conservative Party — Former MP and minister of state for foreign affairs.²²“Sir Nicholas Bonsor,” UK Parliament. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/vR3Df
• United Kingdom Independence Party — Supporter of Nigel Farage’s 2010 election campaign. [11]
• Egerton International Limited — Director.²³“Sir Nicholas Bonsor,” Companies House. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/HMxCR
• Soulbury Enterprises Limited — Director.²⁴“Sir Nicholas Bonsor,” Companies House. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/HMxCR

Social Media

Sir Nicholas Bonsor does not appear to be active on social media.

Publications

• Nicholas Bonsor. “Britain and Latin America: Economic Prospects,” University of London Institute of Latin American Studies, 1996.

Resources

Image Credit: Write Opinions

• 1
  Colin Brown. “No 10 stands by Clarke’s accuser,” Independent, September 25, 1996. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/X3Go4
• 2
  “Sir Nicholas Bonsor,” UK Parliament. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/vR3Df
• 3
  “The Global Warming Policy Foundation: Total exemption full accounts made up to 30 September 2017,” Companies House, February 15, 2018. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 4
  “Death of Soulbury’s Sir Nicholas Bonsor, descendant of Lord Nelson, former MP and Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Bucks,” The Bucks Herald, April 5, 2023. Archived April 7, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/7e9dz
• 5
  “Sir Nicholas Bonsor,” Companies House. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/HMxCR
• 6
  Ashley Armstrong. “Ebola-hit London Mining collapses into administration,” Telegraph, October 16, 2014. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/UqXyO
• 7
  Terry Macalister. “Greenland government falls as voters send warning to mining companies,” Guardian, March 15, 2013. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/cH7W7
• 8
  Philip Waller. “TomCo bounces back with shale oil scheme,” Daily Express, May 23, 2011. Archived December 20, 2018. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 9
  Phil Allan. “Ex-minister quits shale developer,” Energy Voice, July 17, 2015. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/JXSS4
• 10
  “Company Profile,” TomCo Energy. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/Lys6h
• 11
  Colin Brown. “No 10 stands by Clarke’s accuser,” Independent, September 25, 1996. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/X3Go4
• 12
  “Sir Nicholas Bonsor,” UK Parliament. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/vR3Df
• 13
  Patricia Wynn Davies. “Heathrow: Politicians play down airport chaos: Ministers wary of handing IRA propaganda victory as travellers endure more disruption,” Independent, March 14, 1994. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/krXTX
• 14
  Colin Brown. “No 10 stands by Clarke’s accuser,” Independent, September 25, 1996. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/X3Go4
• 15
  Elizabeth Grice. “General Election 2010: Nigel Farage and the battle for Buckingham,” Telegraph, May 6, 2010. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/NueWE
• 16
  “Home,” Standing Council of the Baronetage. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/UVlO8
• 17
  Colin Brown. “No 10 stands by Clarke’s accuser,” Independent, September 25, 1996. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/X3Go4
• 18
  “Ed Miliband clashes with Lord Lawson on global warming,” BBC News, December 6, 2009. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/47R7w
• 19
  Caroline Davies and Suzanne Goldenberg. “The voices of climate change sceptics,” The Guardian, November 24, 2009. Archived August 17, 2015. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/lpkvm
• 20
  “The Global Warming Policy Foundation: Total exemption full accounts made up to 30 September 2017,” Companies House, February 15, 2018. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 21
  “The Global Warming Policy Foundation: Total exemption full accounts made up to 30 September 2017,” Companies House, February 15, 2018. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 22
  “Sir Nicholas Bonsor,” UK Parliament. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/vR3Df
• 23
  “Sir Nicholas Bonsor,” Companies House. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/HMxCR
• 24
  “Sir Nicholas Bonsor,” Companies House. Archived December 20, 2018. Archive URL: http://archive.fo/HMxCR